Head Coach Raheem Morris & Quarterback Kirk Cousins post game press conference | Atlanta Falcons

Head Coach Raheem Morris & Quarterback Kirk Cousins post game press conference | Atlanta Falcons

Uh really well played game by the guys today. Um a lot of credit to the coaching staff, a lot of credit to Zack Robinson putting together a great game plan for our offense. A lot of credit to, you know, Jeff Ober putting a great game plan together for our defense. Um those guys went out there was able to execute to keep those guys out the end zone on special teams. Went out there, made a couple plays today. Um got a couple things to clean up like always and we’ll get those things done this week as we go prepare for the Jets. Yeah, coach, could you discuss how Kurt was able to exeute the game play today? You know, I did a nice job going out being able to run the football. You know, we want to come out early and establish the run and those things, you got to keep pound that and keep going at it, keep grinding. Um, even though there’s some ugly runs there early in the game, but eventually um with the guys that we have, we talking about Tyler and Bejan and that upfront crew that we do have, they’re going to break them. Um, we were able to get that thing open, open up a little bit, make some plays that way. That allowed us to open up the play action pass game and uh got Kurt to make a couple completions. Obviously, we had one snafu out there today. We left one point out there when we got the interception for a return, but you know, other than that, man, very pleased with how the guys played and how they operated. Could you discuss the deep shot to Mooney? Have y’all been setting that up throughout the day? Uh, we’ve been setting it up all year, you know, and that’s what Mooney’s more like. Um, he came to life today. We’ve been talking about it the last couple of weeks being able to go out there and execute those things and I’m very proud of Mooney being able to run a great route and us being able to hold that protection and let go a great pass down the middle of the field to really give us an explosive Can you speak to your defensive front and the pressure they were able to create? Yeah, they’ve done it the last they’ve done it the last couple of weeks. You know, obviously, you know, sacks and pressures have been a big focus on our our team, you know, all the way from the draft and things of that nature. You know, Terry Fontnau, his crew, um, you know, obviously Kyle Smith, all those guys, Ryan Pace, everybody in our personnel department did a nice job of acquiring draft picks, you know, over the last two years since I’ve been here at least. um being able to add people and free agency, whatever the case has been, to be able to get him in here to rush the passer. And over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been really able to show that and it kept it up today. You know, we kind of talked about it during the week and it’s about going out and really having a full week, a full week of preparation and operation, you know, with Zack. Um, knowing you’re the guy, you know, going into it, knowing you’re the guy all week. Um, being able to execute all all the game plan, being able to have input, you know, being able to talk and communicate with your coaches to go out there and they know exactly what you like, you know, exactly what he likes. Um, and we have to go out there and execute that today and look like it. Dylan, guys, is that a function of a game plan? Is that a function of circumstance? No, we kind of talked about it. You know, we had to have had guys step up. Um, you’ve mentioned it through the course of the week of receivers stepping up, people are being able to catch the ball. You know, when you able to call some more play actions because of how your runs going, you know, obviously some of those checkdowns that Charlie are going to be opened up a little bit more. They’ve done a nice job of taking away B. You know, he’s shown to be scary with checkdowns and right now Charlie’s shown to be a little scary with checkdowns as well, making people miss. There’s no question about it. You know, Kirk is that’s what he’s uh been throughout his whole career. You know, obviously when he came off the injury last year, he was felt a little bit more comfortable in the pistol. Um he’s he’s back to what he’s been in the past and what he’s played the 12 13 years whatever he’s been in the National Football League. So uh we did what accommodated Kurt and what made him look the best and what made us feel the best about going out there and operating. Good. You guys want to go home guys? Great. Thank you guys. Always gratifying to be able to win an NFL game on the road. Um it’s never easy and um felt like most wins in this league are team wins. Um but today certainly was one when you think about how you know offense made plays but defense only allowing three points, special teams standing up and for multiple uh moments whether it was the kicks or the um field position they gave us. So um you know felt like we kind of leaned on everybody today and that’s what makes it fun is feeling like you’re you’re flying home as a whole team that contributed to win that game and uh um you know we look forward tomorrow to kind of watching the tape and being able to talk through everything to just try to keep getting better. take any questions. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I thought it was great design by Zach and the staff to get David that open in the low red. Um it’s rare to have a guy, you know, be able to kind of cross towards the goal post there in the back of the end zone. And um the Saints did a good job of passing the inside route off. I think it was KP on that route. Kind of passed it off and they were in transition. We were able to hit it just as they were transitioning back. So, um, great to get David, uh, involved there and, um, um, you know, Drum showed up big in the, uh, uh, two-minute before the half. Uh, he’s got great hands, great intelligence. Um, really trust him. You know, we were working together on scout team a lot this season and even in training camp and and he he showed a lot. There’s a reason he’s on our football team. So, great to have him out there today. Can you discuss how you all set up the 49 yard pass and how that played? Yeah, we had run a few play actions throughout the game and got a variety of coverages against them and um you know, you never know what you’re going to get when you dial it up. Um, you know, they played a fairly aggressive quarters there. I think KP attracted some attention as he came across the field which kept them a little flatfooted. And then the key for me was knowing how Mooney can really run. So, when you feel like he’s getting even with somebody, I say if you’re even, you’re leaving. By the time the ball gets there, he’s going to hopefully blow by him. So, um, just kind of threw that with a lot of trust that if Mooney can get through there, he’s going to he’s going to make me right when the ball arrives. And he did. And, um, great to get that was a big moment in the game. You had a lot of emotion on the field that moment was in the game. Was that a moment where you felt like you hit a big throw that maybe? Yeah, I think it was kind of combination of hitting a big throw, you know, kind of what that meant in the flow of the game. I think, um, explosive plays are always exciting. Um, uh, you know, I think then they, you know, threw over going for two, so you couldn’t celebrate for too long. And I’m trying to run down and get the offensive linemen were having a party in the end zone to tell them, get back to the huddle. You know, you got to we got another play to run. The play clock’s running. So, um, it was it was a good moment. I think everyone kind of exhaled after that one. And uh, and then to get the two-point conversion I felt was a big deal as well. Uh, to be able to pound that in there. Um, great run by the guys. I know when we talked to you earlier. Well, I think we had a sharp week of practice. I think being able to get those reps helps, but um um you know, you try to the week is a process and so you try to just kind of build that process all the way to Sunday and then let the the product on Sunday um show and and sometimes practice doesn’t mimic the game. Sometimes you have a great week and the game isn’t as good. But today I felt like it kind of built all week and then it was able to kind of come to fruition today. Yeah, I don’t think it was too much me. I wasn’t necessarily in there on Tuesday giving him a bunch of thoughts. It was more just I think Zach knows me pretty well now and knows what I’m comfortable with, knows what I like, knows what I do well, knows what I don’t do well. And I think he’s um factoring that in as he thinks through the game plan on Monday and Tuesday. And I thought uh coming in Wednesday, I I I started to see kind of where we were headed with it. And I I felt pretty excited about um you know what it was going to do and and um you never know until you get into the game, but uh I thought the game was was kind of fun to kind of work through it together and um um get a lot of different teammates involved. How much as a team did you need this game? Well, I think you know, anytime you go on the road to be able to get a win is is a big uh you know, shot in the arm in a good way. And um uh you know now we got to build on it. There’s so much football left. There’s so much work left. And uh it starts tomorrow morning with having candid conversations about you know really coaching. I want to be coached and I want to kind of get criticized in a way that acts like we lost, you know, and I think that’s kind of how you have to do it on a Monday after a game. So we’ll um we’ll have those conversations and just try to keep getting better. But it’s much more fun to have them after after a win. Uh yeah. Yeah, I mean, I’ve always enjoyed play action. I think, uh, you know, they did a good job defending a few of them where we had to check it down or throw it away or whatever. Um, but, uh, I think it’s good to try to get them called and and, uh, and see if we can’t get some explosives out of it. But, uh, I do think we left some meat on the bone there. I think KP was open on one that we couldn’t connect on and, uh, and so we’ll keep trying to build that to where we can um, you know, really lean on it. Yeah. Yeah. you know, I put my boys in wrestling, so I’m trying to show them what I’m trying to show them what it looks like to have some grit in your life. But, uh, honestly, it was kind of the the the perfect storm. You’re you got to get out of bounds. You got to get the first down. I see Reed from out of bounds coming at me, and I thought, you know, this is this is going to be a collision, but I don’t really know how to do this any other way. So, I just said, let’s take it back to high school and let’s just lower the shoulder and made the best man win. And I don’t know who won that one. I think it might have been a stalemate, which tie goes to the runner. you can really trust in in today’s NFL with the way they’ve even changed some of the rules in the last couple years. Games are going to come down to the final possession more often than not. I mean, you see it every every Sunday and uh um the kicks are just such a big deal and and uh you know, you you do all you can as an offense to not have to rely on it, but you also know that it ends up being such a big part of of your team success. You already mentioned a few plays where you’re like, “Oh, I could have gone differently.” How eager are you to look at the film and see where you can build from this game? Yeah, that’s kind of what it’s all about is to be analytical and now go back and say, “Okay, how can we do this better and what did we leave out there?” And I’m going to wear out DJ Williams tomorrow hopefully with a lot of questions and and uh and I think you’ll have a lot of good answers for me too, you know, to tell me what I got to do better and what um what we left out there. So, um we’ll build on. I do think Brandon Staley and that defense did a good job today. uh that made made it hard on us and and we’ll then bring up a lot of good points tomorrow. Thanks.

Atlanta Falcons Head Coach Raheem Morris and Quarterback Kirk Cousins speak with the media following the Falcons’ Week 12 road matchup against NFC South rival New Orleans Saints.

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